


Maven and the Listener

by NotLikeYouThink



Series: Elder Scrolls One-Shots [4]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Contract, Dark Brotherhood - Freeform, Maven Finds Out You're In the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, Thieves Guild Members Mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 20:18:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14172630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotLikeYouThink/pseuds/NotLikeYouThink
Summary: @skyrim-hates-her on tumblr was talking about Maven calling the Dark Brotherhood on you while you’re the listener of the same murder family, and I thought of this, so enjoy :)





	Maven and the Listener

Kirselyn hadn’t been in Riften since she asked Delvin to buy the amulet some guy in a tomb had given her over a month earlier, and a lot had transpired in that time. The Dark Brotherhood was back to being a shadow of its former glory, still licking its wounds from a betrayal. The Bosmer assassin had been particularly heartbroken, what with the betrayal of Mercer Frey in the Thieves Guild not long earlier. Her heart couldn’t take much more.

But, while she reminisced about the past, she had a job to do. Contact Maven Black-Briar and complete her contract.

The sun had set long ago, long before she had entered Riften. She hung to the shadows, just like how she had her entire life, remembering all the memories she’d had in the city of thieves. The house she and Cynric had stolen everything from, not even leaving a single cup inside. The time Rune had helped her shimmy down a chimney because both of them had broken all their lockpicks and were too stupid to get more from Tonilia. The time when she and Thrynn had gotten so drunk they fell into the canal from the upper levels, the rest of the Guild laughing at them.

She stopped in front of a house.  _Riftwield Manor_.

She shook the memories from her head and continued on.

She reached the Bee and Barb, the inn she was going to meet Maven in, and more memories flooded her mind. The time Garthar had tried to flirt with her, only for her to punch him in the face. The time she and Sapphire sized up the travellers that had entered the city as a pitstop on their way to join the Dawnguard. The first time she and Brynjolf met, leading to the best times of her life.

Again, she pushed the memories aside and climbed the stairs to the upper levels.

Maven was sitting in her usual spot in a nook that overlooked the doors to all the inn rooms. There was a book in her hand, but Kirselyn could tell that she wasn’t reading, but was actually surveying everyone that passed her--including the assassin that sat down on the other side of her.

The book in Maven’s hand closed with a resounding  _snap_ , then was tossed onto the table next to them.

“So, you came this time,” she said, the usual sneer in her voice. “Surprising, considering you’ve ignored all my other attempts at contacting you.”

“And yet you still tried,” Kirselyn remarked automatically.

Maven scowled. “Don’t get snarky with me,  _girl_. I have the power to ruin you.”

Kirselyn narrowed her eyes and cocked her head slightly.  _She really has no idea who I am_ , she thought.

“But to why you’re here,” Maven said. “I want you to find and kill someone. I don’t know where she is, but I do know she’s still in Skyrim. Rumours fly around at what she’s been up to.”

“Who is it?”

“She’s a Bosmer, by the name of Kirselyn Nightshade.”

Kirselyn straightened, trying not to let the surprise that filled her onto her face. “May I ask why you want me to kill her?”

“She’s a rogue thief of the Thieves Guild, disappeared several months back. Knows just how involved I am with both our groups.”

“And what if I tell you I know where she is?”

“I’d say kill her now and give you twice the gold.”

The assassin pretended to ponder for a moment, playing with the edge of her face mask. A smirk Maven couldn’t see made its way onto the Bosmer’s face. “Well I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

A low growl escaped Maven’s throat. “And why not?”

“Because I am Kirselyn,” she said, pulling down her face mask. “And I am the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood.”


End file.
